

A Christmas Dialog 




!■ ■ 


1 




Telephoning 




To 






Santa Claus 






By 






John D. Macdonald 






Time of rendition 10 minutet 






265 West 36th Street New York, N. Y. 





Telephoning to 
Santa Claus 



By 
JOHN D. MACDONALD 



Price 25 cents each, postpaid 



ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 
Public performing rights given free 
when 2 or more copies are purchased 




265 West 36th Street 



New York City 



Copyright IQIQ by Tullar Mtredtth Co 
International Copyright Secured 



v 



FEB -2 1920 



Telephoning to Santa Claus 

Dialogue for Two Little Girls, Ten or Twelve Years Old 
Scene — Sitting room 

(For telephone use box ten by fifteen inches or larger. Fix it 
to an upright that can be moved out on the platform. Have one 
end fixed like trap door. Tie skates to muff about one foot 
apart. Shove muff in box first and then skates. Put electric or 
bicycle bell on box. Run heavy cord to the window for tele- 
phone wire. Have mouthpiece on box, and have box high 
enough so that the speaker must stand on a chair. Have a re- 
ceiver or an imitation quite a way from the box — perhaps six or 
seven feet. Do not hurry.) 

Esther (seated in small rocker). This is Christmas Eve, Mabel, 
and I suppose that Santa Claus has his pack all made up, and 
is off with his reindeer to visit all the good little boys and girls 
all over the world. I do hope he will be sure and come to 
(name your ozvn tozvn or city), because I want something very 
much this year. Just think, last Christmas I laid awake most all 
night to see him, but I didn't see him at all. I don't know when 
he got in the house or how he got out, but he just fooled me, 
that's what he did. 

Mabel. No doubt he's started on his journey by this time. I 
think he must ride like the wind to get all over the world in a 
night. Whv it took all night and a day for us to go to Aunt 
Ella's last Thanksgiving- time, and that's not so far as around 
the world. But I would like to see Santa this year so I could 
tell him what I want. They say if Santa Claus knows what you 
want he will almost always bring it to you. 



Telephoning to Santa Claus 



Esther. Yes, I know he will, because Maggie Brown wrote to 
him last year and told him that she wanted a pony and a cart 
and he brought it to her. 

Mabel. And Tommy Carter wrote to him, too, and told him 
that he wanted a bicycle and he got it, too. I guess Santa is a 
nice old man. 

Esther. And Mrs. Santa must be a nice old lady, too, or she 
wouldn't dress all those nice dolls for Mr. Santa Claus. 
Mabel. It's too bad that we did not write to him last week, 
and then he surely would have gotten our letter. 

Esther (rising up and putting doll in the chair). Mabel, why 
not telephone to him? Papa has a long distance telephone, and 
I talked away down to New York through it once, and I guess 
if cousin Mary could hear me in New York, Santa Claus ought 
to hear me in Santa Claus Land. 

Mabel. Wasn't Papa with you when you talked that time, 
Esther? 

Esther. Yes, but I remember just how I did it. You just ring 

the bell, and talk in the box, and listen for the answer. Let's 

try it, anyway. 

Mabel. All right, we will, but he may not be at home. He must 

start early to travel so far. 

Esther. I will ask Mrs. Santa Claus anyway. Now let's do it 

quick, before any one comes in. 

Mabel (getting a chair for Esther to stand on). Here Esther. 

you must stand upon this chair. Now be careful not to fall off. 

Esther (gets upon chair). Now you take the receiver and stand 

over there (points) and listen to what she says (Esther rings.) 

Mabel. Some one is there, Esther. Ask them to give you Santa 
Claus Land. 

Esther. Hello, hello! Give me Santa Claus Land, please. 

Mabel. She says that this is Santa Claus land. 

©CI.A561708 



A* 6 | 



Telephoning to Santa Claus 



Esther. Hello! Is this Mrs. Santa Claus? 

Mabel. She says ''yes." Ask her if Mr. Santa Claus is at home. 

Esther. Mrs. Santa Claus, Mrs. Santa Claus, is Mr. Santa 
Claus at home? 

Mabel. She says "no," he isn't. He has gone on a journey to 
visit all the good boys and girls. 

Esther. Hello, hello, Mrs. Santa Claus. Does Mr. Santa Claus 
only make one trip on Christmas Eve? 

Mabel. She says "yes," that is all he makes. Ask her to send 
some one after him to catch him, because we want something 
very special. 

Esther. Mrs. Santa Claus. (Both wait a moment.) 

Mabel. She can't be at the phone, Esther, ring her up again. 

Esther (rings again). Hello, Mrs. Santa Claus, will you please 
send some one after Mr. Santa Claus, to tell him that we want 
something special? 

Mabel (waits a moment). She's not there yet, Esther. Ring 
her up again. (Esther rings quite hard.) Now she is there, 
and she wants to know why we bother her so on Christmas Eve. 

Esther. Mrs. Santa, please send some one after Mr. Santa, and 
tell him that we are two good little girls, and we want a muff 
and a pair of skates, and some candy canes as long as your 
arm. Now don't forget, Mrs. Santa — a muff, and skates, and 
candy canes as long as myself. 

Mabel. She says that Santa is too far away, and nobody could 
catch him now. And she says that we must not bother her any 
more as she is busy making her Christmas pies. 

Esther (to Mabel). But I want my candy cane (rings several 
times). 

M"hel (frightened). Oh, Esther, Mrs. Santy will be awfully 
angry with us. Let's go away. 

Esther (getting impatient). Does she answer the ring? 



Telephoning to Santa Claus 



Mabel. No. (Esther rings harder than before.) Now she is 
there and she wants to know if it is the same two little girls. 

Esther (into the phone). Yes, it's Mabel and me, and we want 
Santa Claus to bring us some skates, and a muff and candy canes 
as long as a fishing-pole. 

Mabel. She says that we must be good or Santa won't come to 
(name your town) tonight at all. We bother her a lot, she says. 
Esther (into the phone). Mrs. Santa — Mrs. Santa — (no an- 
swer.) 

Mabel. She has gone away again, Esther. Let's not bother her 
any more or she may send some one after Santa to tell on us. 

Esther. I want to know if Santa is coming to (your town) to- 
night, anyway (rings long and several times). 

Mabel (frightened). I guess she is angry with us, Esther. 
Please do let's stop now. Let's not ring any more, because I 
don't care for the skates, anyway. 

Esther (to Mabel). Isn't she there yet? 

Mabel. No — I guess not. (Esther rings and rings.) Oh, Oh, 
Esther do stop ! 

Esther. Now — is — she — there ? 

Mabel. Yes, and she wants papa to take those naughty girls 
away from the "phone," or Santa won't come to (your town) 
tonight. Please do stop ringing, Esther. (Listens.) Oh, 
Esther, I think I hear papa coming, and he will be angry, too. 

Esther. No, papa won't be angry, he would like to have us get 
our muff and skates. (Ring, rings and rings.) 

Mabel (during the ringing). Oh, Esther, oh, Esther! She says 
to stop that ringing ! ! 

Esther (stamping her foot, keeps on ringing). I'm mad with 
her, Mabel (then into the phone). Mrs. Santa — Mrs. Santa — do 
you hear, Mrs. Santa? Do — you — hear — Mrs. Santa? We want 
our muff, and our skates, and the candy canes as big as a house. 
Do — you — hear. Mrs. Santa? Mrs. Santa! I want my muff 



Telephoning to Santa Claus 



and skates. (Rings while talking.) I am mad with you, Mrs. 
Santa. I want my muff. (Here pull the trap and the skates 
drop out, pulling the muff also. Esther jumps down from the 
chair, Mabel drops the receiver. They seize the skates and muff 
and say, as they hold them up) : We've got them. We've got 
them, the skates and muff, the skates and muff! 

(Exit) 



_ 



Ent< 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




014 211 947 A 



Lurid uii a,o & *w*^ _ 

( + )OI.A: OB A CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOB KOTBEB. In this 

little 15-minute play the Christmas present the three children 
of the "Good" family find for mother is none other than "Ola," 
a street waif who comes in to get warm while mother is out 
shopping 1 . Alta, the only girl in the family, has been wishing 
she had a sister to share the trials which two (2) wideawake 
brothers bring to her, so she has a double motive in wanting 
to hide Ola away when mother comes and then bring her out 
and present her as a Christmas present to mother. " Only five 
characters, 2 boys, 2 girls, and 1 woman, required. No special 
costumes needed, and the one home scene is simple to provide. 
Five copies required. Price 30 cts., postpaid. 

( + )MISCHIEVOUS ESTHER AT GRANDMOTHER'S. It was all 

Grandmother's fault. Having so many nice things hidden 
about the house at Christmastime should not be permitted, 
when the grandchildren are to be left in the house alone 
while grandmother goes out for the afternoon. Of course the 
boys were not mischievous, not even curious, but with Esther 
it was different, for she was a girl. She was a very sweet one 
though, especially when the molasses she got into was all over 
her apron. It was Christmastime and everything ends right 
during this happy season, so putting the soiled apron into the 
box from which she took the kitten and putting the kitten into 
the wash basin intended for the apron was only a slight mixup, 
from which mischievous Esther would soon clear herself. 
Three characters, 1 girl and 2 boys, 1.2 years of age, are em- 
ployed. A simple sitting-room scene; no special costumes; time 
about 15 minutes. S copies only required. Price 25 cts., post- 
paid. 

TELEPHONING TO SANTA CLAU8. A Christmas dialogue 

for two (2) girls, ten (10) or twelve (12) years of age, who 
conceive the idea of using the telephone to tell Santa Claus 
what they most want, and suffer no great surprise when the 
very things asked for reach them through the "phone." A 
I simple sitting-room scene in which a make-believe "phone" is 
/ installed furnishes the setting. Time of rendition about 10 
minutes. Price 25 cts., postpaid. 

(+)WIAT CHRISTMAS BID FOB JERUSHA GBDMBLE. Self- 
confessedly, she was only 58, but for years she had acted like 
sixty, that is to say, — oh well, in nature she had been true to 
her name, and when one's nature suggests a name like hers, 
it's quite a job to change it. She couldn't forget that, many 
years before, she had expected to change her name, but, oh 
well, it wasn't her fault, and Christmas came along and helped 
her to cover up the past and open a new future for her. Of 
course it couldn't change her name, but this little play tells 
how very effectively it did change her nature, and then the con- 
trast between name and nature was a charm in the hitherto 
repulsive life. It's a pretty story, made into a pleasing Christ- 
mas play. There are five characters, all girls; two scenes, 
easily arranged. Quite ordinary costumes are used and only 
5 copies of the book required. Time about 30 minutes. Price 
30 cts., postpaid. 

(♦) WANTED— CHRISTMAS SPIRIT. In Prolog, Three Scenes and 
Epilog. By Hester L. Hopkins. 22 females and 13 male characters in 
the entire play, but It can be given with 8 females and 7 males by 
having some assume different characters in various scenes. Time 
of rendition, 30 to 40 minutes. If only 15 people take part , 12 copies 
will be required. Price 30 cents per copy, postpaid. 

(+) CHRISTMAS CHEER. A play in two acts for six females. Time of 
rendition about 20 minutes. 

Four young ladies are the members of a Sunday School class 
whose teacher has asked that each member of the class shall do 
something to bring "Christmas Cheer" to someone who would not 
otherwise be remembered. Each of the girls, unbeknown to the 
other members of the class, decides to make the "Jones Family" 
the object of her Christmas visit. 

It turns out to be quite a "Surprise party." While one of the 
girls prepares the Christmas pie. the others of the class provide a 
pleasant entertainment. When the Christmas pie is cut. Caroline 
and Amanda find that it is filled with the presents which the class 
brought. Simple setting and costumes. 6 copies required. Price 25 
cents. Postpaid. 

If the number of copies specified as "REQUIRED" is ordered at one time, a 
discount of 33 i-j per cent will be allowed from list price on all the above. 



